


Naz

by orphan_account



Series: Naz [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Bee Chloé Bourgeois, Chloé Bourgeois Redemption, F/F, F/M, Good Chloé Bourgeois, Identity Reveal, Minor Season Two Spoilers, Miraculous Holder Chloé Bourgeois
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-29
Updated: 2018-02-01
Packaged: 2019-03-11 00:43:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13513179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: The pride that comes from knowing that you are loved no matter what.Marinette did not mean to lose her transformation in front of dozens of reporters, Chat Noir, and Chloé.





	1. Chapter One

Ladybug flipped through the air, landing on the nearby roofs only when needed. It was late, already around two in the morning, as Ladybug begun her way home. She was heading home after patrol with her partner Chat Noir, the silly cat had said one too many cat puns for Ladybug’s liking that night. Ladybug was getting worried though, Hawk Moth had not sent out anymore akumas in the last few weeks; it had almost been a whole month since the last one. Sure, Ladybug was happy that she hadn’t needed to fight anymore akumatized victims for a bit (for that tired both her and Tikki - her kwami - out) but she couldn’t help but be worried about what Hawk Moth was planning. How dangerous would the next akuma be? Would there be more than one? Would Chat and her be able to take it on on their own or would they have to call in reinforcements like they had with Rena Rouge? Would three superheroes even do the job? How many would they need? 

Ladybug shook her head, she did not need these thoughts running through her mind, they would keep her up all night and she had school in the morning. Yes, that’s right, a superhero has school. Ladybug is only fifteen and she’s already saving Paris, maybe by her twentieth birthday she’ll be saving the world! Ladybug sure hoped not, she hoped that after they defeated Hawk Moth she wouldn’t have to worry about superheroing again. Not that Ladybug didn’t like it! She loved it! She just doesn’t want to keep secrets from her family and friends anymore. Finding a good excuse to go run away and transform was getting harder and harder, the only good one she really had was when she was at school and asked the use the washroom. That one wasn’t even all that foolproof! Someone could easily follow her and see her transform into Ladybug, then her secret would be out and Ladybug would have no idea if whoever saw her would keep the secret or not. 

Ladybug landed on the roof of her house, a glass trap door open wide that lead to her - very pink - bedroom was open just for her. De-transforming as she stepped inside made Marinette - Ladybug’s civilian form - yawn, just because she didn’t feel tired as Ladybug didn’t mean she wasn’t tired. Marinette collapsed onto her bed, hugging the blanket as she did. She heard Tikki start to munch on a cookie that looked too big for the small red kwami to eat, not that that mattered, Tikki could eat two cookies about the same size in - at least - ten minutes. Marinette, despite knowing she had homework to do that was due in about six hours, fell fast asleep. 

\---

“Marinette! Wake up! There’s an akuma!” Marinette felt herself being shaken by Tikki’s small hand (was it it a hand? It seemed more like a paw than anything) and the sound of screams come from outside. 

What time was it? Marinette really hoped that she wouldn’t be late for school, she had already been late for the past three days and couldn’t afford to be late again. Unless she wanted a detention because who would believe the girl who lived right across the street from the school would be late? Marinette blinked her eyes a few times before sitting up and looking out her window. The sun was still rising and there was a sort of dark powder in the air but Marinette couldn’t tell what that was. She could tell it was obviously from an akuma though. Marinette couldn’t waste any time. 

“Tikki, transform me!” Marinette yelled out, standing up on her bed so she wouldn’t still be under the covers when she turned into Ladybug. She didn’t know if that would affect anything.

A pink glow covered Marinette as the black spotted suit replaced her clothes (she had fallen asleep before she could change into her pajamas) and a mask covered her eyes. Marinette had once asked Tikki why the mask was there, it didn’t exactly hide anything except parts of their faces, but Tikki explained with the mask there it disguised their faces so no one would see the same face. Although Chat Noir may be blonde and have green eyes to Marinette, he may have brown hair and brown eyes to others. Tikki didn’t say if it worked for the Miraculous holders though, but Marinette expected it did. It had changed Rena Rouge’s hair a bit when she transformed after all. 

Ladybug jumped out from her pink room from the still open trap door and out into the black powder. Nothing happened to her. Ladybug was very confused about that, shouldn’t the black powder do something to her? Shaking her head, Ladybug ran across the rooftops and towards where the screams seemed to be coming from. Taking her yoyo (Ladybug was honestly still slightly confused as to why she had one, why would she need one?), Ladybug dialed Chat Noir. There was a communicator in Ladybug’s yoyo and Chat Noir’s staff that allowed them to talk to each other if they were both transformed, Ladybug also suspected that Rena Rouge had one as well but since they didn’t try it out she wouldn’t know for sure. 

Chat didn’t pick up his staff, which meant he was either out of suit or busy. Ladybug groaned and didn’t call again. There was no point, she would be at the place the akuma was any minute so she’d be able to see if Chat was there or not anyways. Though, she hoped her partner would get there fast if he wasn’t. 

There was a lady with long red hair that reached the ground and she seemed to be using it to levitate herself. She was also wearing very revealing clothing that Ladybug thought didn’t look good on her, the colour was all wrong, and Ladybug didn’t like revealing clothing either so that could also be a factor in her not liking it. The lady had hearts on her cheeks that were broken in half and her eyes were a bright pink, making Ladybug very sure that she was the akuma. Oh boy, this’ll be fun. 

The lady turned around and faced Ladybug, a smirk coming along her face, “My name is Heartbreaker! Be ready to have your heart broken, Ladybug!” Heartbreaker (Hawk Moth was getting so uncreative with names) yelled out, raising her arms above her head. 

Two large strands of Heartbreaker’s hair flew out from under her and started growing considerably fast, and coming very fast towards Ladybug. Ladybug swung her yoyo away from the oncoming hair, only getting out of its reach by an inch. Now Ladybug remembered why she had her yoyo, it was handy in getting out of situations that a normal person wouldn’t be able to get out of with running. The two strands of red hair kept heading towards Ladybug though, not slowing down at all. Ladybug had begun to jump out of the way instead of using her yoyo and instead started to use it as a shield. 

Ladybug looked around the area they were in, “Come on, Kitty, where are you?” She muttered as she ran away from the hair that was currently chasing her. 

“Stand still, damn it! Let my hair engulf you! It’ll be much easier to get your Miraculous that way!” Heartbreaker screamed out, “Why don’t you have a lover? It would’ve been much easier that way!” 

A lover? Of course, Heartbreaker was making couples feel the same pain she did, she was obviously broken hearted after her lover broke up with her! Was that why Chat Noir wasn’t here yet? He was busy feeling the same pain? No, Chat Noir didn’t have a lover or else he wouldn’t be pursuing Ladybug (he had tooned it down a bit since Ladybug explained that she didn’t have feelings for him), Chat didn’t seem to be the one to cheat on anyone. 

“I’m sorry your lover broke up-”

“Broke up with me?” Heartbreaker laughed, “She didn’t just break up with me! She cheated on me! With some whore who was younger than me!” Heartbreaker explained, sending another strand of hair towards Ladybug, making it now three that were after her.

Ladybug felt sorry for Heartbreaker, no one deserves to be cheated on by the person they love. Ladybug sighed and continued to run away from the three strands of red hair following after her, there wasn’t really much she could do while she ran away. Ladybug would have to get a good look at her to see where her akuma was too, she hadn’t been paying much attention when she first looked.Which had been stupid.

A staff landed between one of the strands of hair, “Looks like you could use some help, M’Lady!” Chat jumped down beside her from the rooftop he was on. 

The strands of hair went limb, falling to the ground and then retreating back to Heartbreaker. Ladybug took a breath, no more running until she sent out more strands of hair. Which, hopefully, she didn’t do. That had been stressful since the strands wouldn’t stay still for even a second, making Ladybug run around way too much for her liking this early in the morning. She didn’t even know how early it was (it was actually five in the morning)! 

Ladybug sent a small smile towards Chat, “Took you long enough, Chat.”

Chat shrugged, “It’s my kwami’s fault, he hadn’t woken me up when Heartbreaker first appeared, it was my alarm that did. He was still fast asleep.” Chat explained, grabbing his staff from the ground. “Where do you think her akuma is? The only thing I see is a clip in her hair.”

Ladybug nodded, “That’s probably it. I don’t see anything else.” 

Chat nodded and jumped off to the other side of Heartbreaker. They hadn’t even planned anything yet he seemed to know exactly what Ladybug wanted him to do. Split up so Heartbreaker can’t keep track of both of them, that way Heartbreaker won’t be able to tell where to throw her hair. 

“Lucky Charm!” Ladybug yelled out, throwing her yoyo into the sky. A new yoyo appeared at her hip as a blowtorch fell down into her hands. Ladybug knew exactly what to do with that. “Chat, I’m going to need you to try to get as close as possibly to her!”

“On it!” Chat nodded as he ran towards Heartbreaker. 

Ladybug watched as Chat got as close as he could to Heartbreaker, waiting for the right moment. Chat begun to talk to Heartbreaker but Ladybug didn’t really pay attention to what he was saying all that much. Just focusing on the clip in Heartbreaker’s hair she had somehow missed when Ladybug had first saw her. Ladybug pulled the trigger on the blowtorch, making fire spread out in front of her and burn Heartbreaker’s hair. Heartbreaker screamed and quickly turned around to face Ladybug, her face seething with anger. Chat now had time to get the clip in Heartbreaker’s hair and he did just that.

Chat jumped over Heartbreaker, grabbing the clip as he did so and handing it to Ladybug once he landed. Ladybug then smashed it to the ground, the clip breaking in half as she did so. A purple butterfly fluttered out and was about to get away before Ladybug threw her yoyo at it, capturing it before releasing it as soon as it had become a white butterfly. Chat and Ladybug were about to bid each other farewell before a group of reporters surrounded them.

“Ladybug, what happened to make that akuma happen?”

“Ladybug! Do you and Chat Noir know each other outside the mask?”

“Ladybug, who are you outside the mask?” 

“Oh! Ladybug, can you explain how you purify the akuma?” 

“Ladybug! Got anything you would like to say to Hawk Moth? Surely, he’s watching!”

Chat had easily gotten away from the reporters with his staff, with it lifting him up and all, but Ladybug’s yoyo only pulled her along. It would only help if there was anything high around for her yoyo to grab onto but the only thing that there was was lampposts and that would make her go through the crowd of people. Ladybug didn’t exactly want that, so she was stuck. Stuck between reporters asking too many questions for her to answer at a time and the beeping of her Miraculous didn’t exactly help in the situation.  

“Out of my way! Ladybug is my friend and she promised we’d do our nails together once this was done!” A voice shouted from the crowd, pushing the reporters away. Chloé Bourgeois made her way through the crowd towards Ladybug. Chloé grabbed Ladybug’s hand as soon as Chloé got to her, pulling her away from the crowd. “Don’t worry,” Chloé whispered to Ladybug so only she could hear, “I know you don’t want to help me paint my nails, I just thought it was a good excuse to get you out of there. I figured you didn’t like them asking you all those questions since you rarely answer them.” 

Ladybug was surprised, “Uh, thank you, Chloé. That’s actually really nice of you.”

Chloé shrugged, “I’m trying to be nicer. So, I guess this is an improvement.”

Ladybug nodded and continued to follow Chloé, if she had enough time she could escape as soon as they got to the limo that wasn’t that far away. Ladybug couldn’t help but think that this akuma was too easy though, Chat hadn’t even used his Cataclysm during the attack. Was Hawk Moth losing his touch? Was he-

Ladybug’s thoughts were lost as she heard one last beep before pink light engulfed her. Marinette stood still as everything around her stopped. Pictures were taken and she could hear reporters saying something about Paris finally knows who Ladybug is. Marinette tried to hide her face with her free hand but it wasn’t working, people had already seen her face and it was probably all over the internet now. 

“Get in the limo, I promise not to look,” Chloé announced as they were in front of the limo. 

Marinette sighed, “It’s no use, you’ll probably see it on the TV as soon as you get home. Besides, everyone’s going to say it at school.” Marinette now knew that she was not going to school, ever again. She was going to be homeschooled for the rest of her. 

Chloé nodded but didn’t look until Marinette was inside the limo with her. Chloé’s eyes went wide as soon as she saw that it was Marinette, “Marinette?” Chloé’s words surprised Marinette, they didn’t sound disgusted or angry. They just sounded surprised. Chloé let out a small laugh, “I should’ve known, you both wear the same ridiculous pigtails.” The words coming from Chloé’s mouth didn’t sound like her at all, they were more teasing than anything. Chloé’s eyes went to the floor of the limo as it started to move away from the reporters, “I - uh - I’ve been wanting to say something for a while to you. I guess I haven’t really had the courage to though, but I’m going to say this now. I’m - uh - I’m sorry for how I’ve treated you these past few years, it was wrong of me. And-And your designs don’t suck, they’re actually pretty cool.” 

Marinette didn’t seem to trust those words, “Are you sure you aren’t just saying that because you found out I’m Ladybug?” 

Chloé held onto her arm, “That may have given me enough courage to say it, but I promise, I’ve been wanting to say it for a while, Marinette. I’ve learned my lesson to not be mean to people unless I want to lose my friends,” Chloé explained.

“Marinette, we don’t have your purse!” Tikki exclaimed from Marinette’s lap.

Marinette was still in the clothes she had worn yesterday minus her purse, which meant she had left her purse at her house along with Tikki’s cookies. Marinette groaned, “Crap, Tikki, I’m sorry. Chloé, do you think your driver could drive me home?” 

Chloé shook her head, “Reporters will be swarming the place like flies, you wouldn’t be able to get in unless you went in through the roof. And, what is that?” Chloé pointed towards Tikki.

Tikki cleared her throat, “My name’s Tikki and I’m a kwami! I help Marinette here turn into Ladybug!” 

Chloé nodded, “You’re very cute, Tikki.” 

“So, where are we going?” Marinette asked as they turned the corner. Marinette was currently staring out the window.

“The hotel, the reporters aren’t allowed in the back so we’ll sneak in through there to get to my room and get Tikki whatever she needs that’s in your purse,” Chloé had turned around to face out her window as well.

The limo was quiet as it made its way towards the hotel, the only sound was Tikki who kept trying to get Marinette to look happy by making funny faces on her lap. Tikki couldn’t exactly fly at the moment since she was too tired to but she had enough energy to make her friend, at least, try to laugh. Chloé was right and there were reporters swarming the hotel but the limo pulled towards the back where almost no one was and there was only a staff only door. It had a lock on it so Marinette assumed Chloé had a key, which she did indeed have a key. The hotel staff didn’t even pay any attention to the two girls and kwami (though, Tikki probably wasn’t seen) sneaking their way upstairs to, what Marinette assumed was, Chloé’s bedroom. 

No one had stepped outside of their room on the girls’ way up so no one really talked on the way there either. Once they reached Chloé’s room, Chloé brought out her phone.

“What did Tikki need from your purse?” Chloé questioned.

“I need cookies to regain my strength,” Tikki answered, she was now sitting on Marinette’s shoulder. 

Chloé nodded and placed a order for cookies and breakfast for two, Marinette was sure that Chloé got free room service but Chloé asked for the cost anyways. Marinette was sure Chloé was going to ask her to pay her back for her cookies and meal but Marinette was a little afraid to ask. The food got up to Chloé’s room in no time and instead of asking Marinette to pay her back, Chloé handed the server some money and he left.

“Here,” Chloé handed Marinette the cookies and one of the breakfasts she had ordered. “I figured you went out to fight without having any breakfast so I got you something.” 

Marinette nodded and took the food, handing Tikki the cookies, “Thanks Chloé.”  

Chloé nodded and sat down on the opposite side of the couch, “Listen,” Chloé started, “I know we can’t be friends, but do you think we could restart? Pretend we don’t know each other and all that jazz?”

Marinette was once again surprised by Chloè’s words but it was Tikki who spoke first, “I think that’s a great idea! Putting the stuff that happened between you two behind you and starting anew! Don’t you think it’s a good idea, Marinette?” Tikki had now begun to fly around Marinette, seemingly excited. 

Marinette, honestly, didn’t think she’d ever be friends with Chloé but being mere acquaintances was better than being enemies, “Sure, it sounds good. Well, then, my name’s Marinette Dupain-Cheng.”

“Chloé. It’s nice to meet you, Marinette.”


	2. Chapter Two

Marinette had had a lot of time to think, an hour had passed since she had gotten to the hotel and she had no idea what she was going to tell everyone. What would Alya, her best friend who also runs the Ladyblog, think about her being Ladybug and not telling her? Marinette had not been excited for school that would take place in three hours, but Tikki had suggested she go, face her fears and see that no one dislikes her as Ladybug. Chloé hadn’t yelled at Marinette for being Ladybug so why should everyone else? No one would be mad at her, right? 

Marinette had curled up on the couch, legs pulled up to her chest and head hidden in between them. Chloé had gone quiet and had started to scroll through her phone, leaving Marinette to her own devices. Which has just been to be stuck in her own thoughts about what was about to happen. Marinette could not stop thinking about everyone’s reactions; even going as far as to act them out in her head. There were some good ones where everyone understands why Marinette kept her being Ladybug a secret, but then there’s the one where everyone hates her for keeping it a secret and she loses Alya as a friend. Marinette really hoped it wasn’t the last one, she loved having Alya as a friend even if it was hard to keep coming up with excuses as to why she had to leave whenever there was an akuma attack. Saying that the akuma had attacked her was only going to get her so far. 

Chloé had gotten up from her side of the couch and headed towards what seemed to be the balcony, but Marinette didn’t really care. Marinette just wanted to go home and go back to sleep, she had only gotten two hours of sleep so she was actually really tired. Marinette wouldn’t mind having everything be erased from people’s memories as well, like her being Ladybug. She would really like that.

“Marinette,” Chloé called out, “There’s someone here to see you, on my balcony.”

No reporter would try to get to a person by going through someone’s balcony, so, Marinette sat up. Using her sleeve (she had been wearing a sweater instead of her normal jacket since it had gotten colder) she wiped her face since she had been silently crying. Not that Marinette had noticed, she had been too busy thinking about the outcomes of her identity being revealed. Marinette appeared in front of the balcony door, Chloé right beside her holding the door open. On the balcony, hand in his hair, was Chat Noir. His staff had been shortened and was now on his back but Marinette could tell that he used that to get up to the top level of the hotel.

Chloé cleared her throat, “I’ll leave you two to talk.”

Chloé left into the balcony, heading back to the couch. Leaving Marinette and Chat Noir alone on the balcony. Marinette, honestly, did not want to be left alone with Chat Noir. Sure, he was her partner but right now, she just wanted to be away from everyone. Not talking to anyone, not even Tikki. Marinette just wanted to lay down in bed and sleep, not just because she was tired either. Marinette and Chat stood in silence for a while, neither of them starting up a conversation. 

“So, that secret mission you had to go on when we were fighting Evillustrator was really just you helping me fight him, huh?” Chat questioned out of nowhere, well, sort of. They hadn’t really been talking about anything so it wasn’t completely out of nowhere. 

Marinette hadn’t expected Chat to remember that, well, possibly about the part where Ladybug wasn’t there but not that Marinette had helped him. Marinette nodded slightly, “Yeah.” 

“You seem sad, is something up? Other than the whole identity reveal?” 

Marinette hadn’t noticed that she had sounded sad, but she had expected that. Marinette shook her head, “No, I guess I just wish that the whole thing hadn’t happened. I never wanted all of Paris to know my identity.” Marinette explained, leaning on the railing of the balcony. Staring as the sun made its way from out from behind a building. Marinette sighed, if Chat was her partner - no, her friend - she should be honest with him and tell him everything. Not leave out bits of the truth. “Actually,” Marinette started, “there is another thing that’s getting me down. I just- I can’t help but think that everyone is disappointed in me. Sure, when I’m Ladybug I’m all confident and brave but when I’m Marinette - when I’m me - I’m a complete klutz and I can barely say one sentence in front of my crush.”

Chat frowned, “You’re just as brave in your civilian form as you are Ladybug, you went up to the Evillustrator without the suit after all. And there were loads of time you went up against an akumatized person without the suit! So don’t you dare say you are nothing like Ladybug when you’re a civilian. I bet everyone in Paris is glad it’s you! I know I am.” Chat seemed determined to prove Marinette wrong.

Marinette had no idea what to say, Chat had only met her a few times out of the suit after all. Unless, of course, he knew Marinette outside of the suit as well but what were the chances of that? There were, roughly, two million people in Paris and the chances of the two superheroes knowing each other out of the mask were really small. Max, a guy in Marinette’s class, would probably know the actual percent of how likely it was for the two of them to actual know each other, but Marinette knew it was really small so she didn’t need to know what it actually was. 

Marinette shook her head, “You’ve only seen me at the times I’ve tried to be-”

“I’m not arguing about this with you, Princess, you  _ are  _ brave. You are you, no matter what choice of clothing you take, be it a original design you’ve made or the red and black spotted suit. I’m friends with both sides, even if you and I didn’t know it,” Chat explained, having cut off Marinette. His gloved hand had made it to her cheek, slightly tilting Marinette’s head to look up at him. Marinette knew Chat wouldn’t kiss her though, she had told him she didn’t have feelings for him like that a few patrols ago and she was pretty sure he wouldn’t just go and kiss her after she had told him she just wanted to be friends with him. Chat smiled, “You are a wonderful, kind person, Marinette, be it at school or jumping on the rooftops of Paris.”

Marinette left the topic alone after all, she didn’t feel like arguing with him either. Instead, Marinette closed the gap between the two of them, wrapping her arms around his chest. No, Marinette wasn’t kissing him, she was hugging him. Marinette was slightly uncomfortable though, she couldn’t exactly reach his shoulder. “Why are you so tall, Kitty?” Marinette laughed.

Chat chuckled, wrapping his arms around her waist to return her hug. “I have no idea, Princess. Guess it’s just my luck.” 

The two superheroes lasted like that for a good while, and Chloé didn’t even come to interrupt them once. It wasn’t until Chat Noir’s ring started to beep that they realized how long it had been since they had started their hug. Chat bid Marinette a goodbye, saying he’d see her sooner than later. He had wanted to reveal his identity to her, but Marinette told him not to, that just because she had lost her transformation shouldn’t mean that he should let go of his. Chat understood, things were already crazy for her and having his identity to top it off would make it even crazier. 

Chat had left, leaving Marinette alone on the balcony with her thoughts. Marinette still had no idea if she was even going to go to school when it came. She would prefer to stay home, although she isn’t really at home right now, but Marinette surely doubted that anyone would allow that to happen. If anything, people would want her to go to school, where everyone can get to her. Reporters, her friends, her classmates, even Hawk Moth. Oh God, Hawk Moth knew her identity now. He could so easily throw an akuma her way and get her Miraculous. 

“Marinette?” Chloé’s voice snapped Marinette’s thoughts out of her head, for the time being anyway. Chloé was holding two cups in her hand as she stood in the doorway. “I figured we could have some hot chocolate to wake us up more. It is really early.” 

Marinette accepted the hot chocolate and held it in her hands before taking a sip. “Thanks, Chloé.” 

Chloé smiled as she leaned on the railing of the balcony, sipping her own cup of hot chocolate. There was silence between the two of them. Marinette was pretty sure neither of them knew what to say to each other. They had been enemies for four years and only recently decided to start over, they barely knew anything about each other. Besides, what were you supposed to say to someone who you didn’t know was your idol? 

“They aren’t going to go away. The reporters,” Chloé pointed out after a sip of her hot chocolate. “The reporters don’t really leave until they get an answer. They’ll keep bugging you until you speak or accidentally say something bad to them, like if you didn’t leave them alone you’d call the cops. Sometimes, not even then. They’re a real pain in the side, those reporters,” Chloé chuckled, placing her hot chocolate on the table in the corner. 

Marinette sighed, “I don’t even know if I’m going to go to school.” 

“I’d go,” Chloé stated, “Clear things up with my friends before reporters start spreading rumours.” Chloé grabbed her hot chocolate once more. “If you want, I can get my driver to drive you back home so you can grab your stuff and change first. If you want to stay that long anyways. I could always ask right now if you want.” She offered. 

Marinette thought for a moment before deciding she wasn’t ready to face her parents yet. “Do you think I could stay here for a little more? We could paint our nails like you said we were going to do, if you want.” 

“Really? You’d want to do that, with me?” Chloé seemed surprised at Marinette’s question. 

Marinette shrugged, “Sure, as long as I don’t get ladybug nails.” 

The mood seemed to lighten after that and Chloé pulled Marinette back into the room. To say Chloé had a lot of nail polish was an understatement, she and loads of it. Way more than Marinette had seen in one place other than a nail salon. There were buckets of nail polish. Chloé had gone for a simple yellow with black stripes, something easy that Marinette could do with a nail brush. Marinette just went for a basic colour, pink, of course. Marinette had given Chloé creative liberty and Chloé had added a red heart on each of her pinkie’s though, so it wasn’t all pink. 

If Marinette had been told she would be painting nails with Chloé after her identity was revealed to all of Paris, she would’ve laughed. Now, Marinette still laughed, but mostly because painting her nails with Chloé was actually, kind of, fun. Marinette and Alya rarely painted their nails together, mostly opting to watching movies and talking about Marinette’s crazy crush on Adrien, but, Marinette’s pretty sure it would’ve involved talking about her crush anyways. With Chloé, it was more painting on each other’s skin. At first, it was an accident! But then it kinda spiraled into a thing that happened and most of the nail polish from the bottles actually ended up on arms instead of nails before they settled down. Occasionally slipping and painting on the skin, totally by accident. 

It turns out nail polish is a lot harder to get off of skin when it’s dry.  

Before time knew it, the hot chocolate had been drunk and the nail polish buckets had been put away. The sun was now all the way up in the sky, only having a little left to go before it was at it highest point. It was almost time to go to school and Marinette was dreading it. Marinette still had to talk to her parents and change (maybe take a very quick shower as well) and then go to school, where everyone would know that she is Ladybug. Would Alya be mad at her? Marinette had kept the secret that she was Ladybug for, almost, the entire school year. Alya was her best friend and the person who had been trying to find Ladybug’s identity the most, Marinette couldn’t possibly think of what Alya might have felt when she saw her best friend de-transforming on the TV that morning. 

Marinette was in a limo with Chloé, on the way to Marinette’s house. Marinette had been surprised to see that Chloé had actually left without her sunglasses and yellow jacket, both being replaced with a black headband and a yellow sweater, Marinette had never seen her wear anything but those unless Chloé had to get new ones. The sweater looked nice though, it didn’t make her look as snotty as the jacket and sunglasses did. 

Chloé was right when she said reporters would swarm the bakery and Marinette’s house, Marinette couldn’t even count how many there were. Marinette was actually scared to get out of the limo when they pulled up. Chloé had assured her that it would be fine, just look forward and don’t talk. So, that’s what Marinette did when she walked out of the limo with dozens of reporters flashing pictures and asking questions. Rushing to her room was easier, since her parents were probably in the bakery but that didn’t mean Marinette didn’t feel guilty about telling them about what was happening. 

Marinette did in fact, take a fast shower before getting changed. Marinette had just chosen something random but at the same time something that looked good together, if that makes any sense. She didn’t take too much time choosing an outfit. Marinette did not want to cause a fight during school if that were to happen, she’d much rather it happen before or after school. It’d have to be before since Marinette wasn’t missing school, so, Marinette had to be early. 

The reporters were still outside when Marinette left her house, but she did what Chloé had told her to do. Look forward and don’t talk. The reporters followed her to school but stopped outside it, probably not being allowed to enter the building itself. Marinette sighed when she had stepped into it, glad to get away from all the reporters, not glad for what was about to happen though. Marinette was scared. Terrified in fact. About what her friends’ reactions will be to her being Ladybug. There were much more stressful things then being teased about her crush on Adrien now. 

The first friend Marinette had found was Rose, who thought is was really nice of Marinette to be Ladybug and help fight akumas. Juleka was with her as well, she thought it was cool and didn’t say much else. Marinette had run into a lot of her other friends and most had something positive to say about it. Marinette had yet to run into Alya, Nino, or Adrien yet though, so she was still as nervous as she had been in the morning. 

Marinette had just entered the classroom after the first bell rang when she heard Alya yell.

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng, you’ve got some explaining to do!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be Alya's reaction. Hope you guys enjoyed! Comments and criticism are welcome!


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